Universal seat pad



April 9, 1935. E. WITTCOFF UNIVERSAL SEAT PAD Filed July 11, 1952 Patented Apr. 9, 1935 r1 so. sTATES Y Lorra ne '2' Claims.

invention relates to improvements in seat covers or shields, having forum object to provide -a device of thecharacter stated,,r articularly, advantageous for usage in connection with the seat and backrcushions of motor-driven tvehicle seats, chairs and the like, :so constructed that the same can :be adius'ted to effect a-tailoredlike-orsnug .fit with respectto a seat or back upon which it is used, hence, .assming aneat and efficient covering aor shielding thereof.

An equally important object of the invention to :provide a seat .cover vor shield constructed in a manner whereby it may be practically aancl efiiciently used upon seats or hacks of different lengths, :by reason of the (adjustable characteristics thereof, thus, rendering it universal in its range of usage and eliminating the necessity of .malcing such a device in :many different lengths in order to :be satisfactorily usable incon'nection seats, backs and "like surfaces of -'-difierent it is also an object of the invention to provide a -'shield, or as it is often times designated the :trade, aseat pad,-which, when properly adjusted and engaged over the exposed surface of a seat or its back, will snugly or embracingly engage the same, portions thereof engaging-over the sides of said seat or back and thereby, efiecting an engagement or fit which in addition to being snug and tailored-like in appearance, will prevent undesirame shifting of the shield with respect to the seat or back, and accordingly, avoid its displacement 'when use.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of seat covers orlsh ields particularly adapted for use upon the upholstered seat and bank cushions of the seats of automobiles, it has been the custom or practice to make the same 'of different lengths in order that they will effectually and satisfactorily cover "the surfaces of the cushions to be protected and which, as willbe understood, arema'de of different'lengths or sizes. This heretofore prevalent ,practice has required j-tha'tthe manufacturer and the retailer make up and carry in stock, a 'great number of difierent sizes of shields subject to trade calls, with the'resul't that the ultimate costs of. the devices are materially increased.

Through the medium .of my invention, .1 am en--' abled to produce a cover or shield which is more or less universal in its range ofa-usagein that &a

single 'zshield can he adjusted to-efiectw' (Cl. T55 182) will }cover and protect the top surface thereof and 'its sides well, due to its embracing "engagement therewith. Not only does this mode of engagement of the shield the cushions afford greater protection thereof, .butfit will also 5 be understood that due to its snug or embracing engagement with the cushion, the shield wil1,-be positively engaged with the cushion throughout its entire period of usage.

From the foreg'oing, it will manifest itself to 1:0 workers skilled in this art that my improved cover or shield will afford a means whereby ,the

stock of V :a manuiacturer and/or retailer may be considerably reduced, hence, eflecting a material saving invested capital; furthermorethat .115 the constructional characteristics of the improved device are suchthat the samewill afford greater advantages and utilities.

Other objects of the invention. will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention anditslmode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which :it appertains, I have in the accompanying drawing and in the detailed description based thereupon, set out several embodiments :of my invention.

In the drawing: 4

1 is-aperspective illustrating the mannor in whichlthe improved shields are engaged-sin operative position and positioned with respect to .therseat and back cushions lOf an automobile sea-t; Figure 21s a plan-view of the invention havin par-ts .thereof broken awayand shown in section, and,

1 5 W figure 3 is -fragmentary ,longitudinal'section .35 taken through aportinnlof one of the improved shields illustrating, in run lines, the arrangement of the same with respect ."td a seat or back prior to adjusting the same and also illustrating, in dotted. lines, the position of 'the extremity of the shield when a flexed or adjusted position with respect toa seat orback.

Having more particular reference to the, drawing, in connection with which like characters of ererence will designate corresponding parts throughout, it is to be'understood, atthe outset, thatwhereas 1 have shown and described the invention as applied to a seat cover orshi'eld rincluding relatively assembled or interconnected seat and back sections 1 and '2 and'a-so-called kick abron '3, the application of the invention is not" nece's'sa-rlly to such an arrangement or assembly. "To theconta/ry, invention may be equallywell used in connection individual sections, whether for a seat or its :back, or for an individual kick-apron, should the occasion rep or straws extend transversely of such sections,

while the woof straws thereof are longitudinally disposed. Of course, the arrangement of the woof andwarp elements, as just described',. .ne ednot necessarily follow in connection'with ,sections which'are made of comparatively flne fabrics, though in the instance of straw matting usage, this arrangement is preferable in order that flexing of the straw matting sectionsmay beeffected without breakage or similar damaging of the warp straws, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. The marginal portions or edges of the seat and back sections 1 and 2 and the kick-apron 3 are encased or bound'with fabric or cloth stripping or binding material 4, in the fashion shown in the Figures 2 and-3,;stitching 5, or

other suitable securing means, being utilized to effect a positive and permanent connection of said binding to the adjacent portions of the elements to which the same is applied. Prior to the effecting of the stitching5orother securingmeans, however, I arrange pliable metal bars or strips 6 "adjacent one or both of the corresponding portions of the faces'of the straw matting and within 'stripswith curved extensions 5' which rounder the binding 4. In someinstances, I may provide the relatively outer ends of these pliable metal extend about'the adjacent corners of the straw matting material for distances along or throughout the transversal or opposite end binding 4.

With the pliable strips so arranged and housed or encased by the binding 4, the stitching 5, or other 'binding connecting means, is applied. a It will be thus seen that the longitudinal marginal portions or sides of the sections l and 2 and/or the kickapron 3 will be equipped with amarginal stiffening medium characterized'by its pliability and furthermore, by its ability to remain in a bent or flexed'position. At this point, it may be stated that'the mode of arranging or placing the pliable strips 6 upon theaforesaid portions'of the straw matting sectionsor bodies and in the marginal binding 4 may be varied, as conditions or preference may dictate, insolong as a strong and durable arrangement of the same, with respect to the straw matting, is attained. For example, it may be possible to secure the pliable strips 6' to the shield materials by effecting what'is known in the art, as overcasted stitching. Moreover, it is to be understood that whereas I have herein shown the pliable or stay strips 6 as being, extended along the longitudinal marginal portions of the sections 1 and 2 and the apron 3, said stripsmay alsobe extended completely along the opposite ends or transversal portions of these elements 3 likewise, additional strips 6 maybe longitudinally dis posed with respect to one or both of the faces of; the intermediate portions of said sections 1 1 nd 2 an r h a ro 3. th h a llu trated in dotted lines in the Figure l andidentified by thenumeral 1, these intermediate longitudinal strips .6 being,v covered by a binding material,

beyond either .of .the ends of, the seat and/or are longitudinally disposed,;, Consequently, it

'opposite ends of the shield are'flexed and over- .shield will be positively positioned upon the which, in turn, is stitched or otherwisesecured to adjacent portions of the sections.

In the herein shown and described embodiment of the invention, the seat and back sections l and 2 are are depicted as being loosely or hingedly interconnected through the, medium of fabric or other flexible pieces 8, the opposite sides of which extend over portions of the adjacent sides of said seat and back sections and are suitably connected or secured thereto, while the kick-apronis connected to the normally outer side of the seat section I by means of a like medium 9. In-this way, it will be understood that the elements I, 2 and 3 will be effectually interconnected in proper relation so that when the device, thus constituted, is used, it may be satisfactorily arranged in the fashion as illustrated in theFigure 1.

In: production of. seat covers or shields com-- prehending the invention, it is to be understood that the'sections' land 2 and the apron'3 are -ma'deof maximum lengths, in order that they may be satisfactorilyused to cover the adjacent or exposed surfaces 01 a seat and/or'its back of maximum length. When, however, the device'is to be used in connection with a seat or back which is of a length less thanthe lengthsof the Sections and 2,:said' sections arearranged thereover so that the opposite.- ends of the'same extend for substantially corresponding distances the back (which latter elements are shown in the Figure l and are indicated bythe numerals l0 and II), as for example, in accordance with the arrangement shown inthe Figure .3. At this time,.the extended ends'of the sections 1 and/or 2 .aretransversely flexed or folded, over onto :the. adjacent endportions of the seatz-l'fl or.back ll into snug engagement therewith. By reason of the provision of the pliable stay strips 6, it will be understood that the flexed or folded .end engaging portions of the sections. l and 2 The character of the material of;which adjusted positions,- but also, they will cause the l flexed adjacent portions of the; straw -matting material; to be likewise retained inthe; adjusted positions. U V V As hereinbefore'-described,,the' warp straws of thematting; material from whichpthe shields l and 2 aremadenare disposed transversally of their sections whereasthe woof straws thereof,

wi b u der o t w h t e an rs flexing of the extended opposite endportions of 1 the sections l. and L2,. the resultant bend will be .made in substantial parallelism to the, warp straws and therefore, breakage or mutilation of these straws by reason of the bending off t'he sections, 'willbe prevented; At the sal ne-time, an even and smooth cornerioyerlap withrespect to the adjacent endi'portionsjof theseaJt "III or the back, II. will be permitted V In instances of usage of th l improved shield,

where thelength of the shield is greater. than the length of the surface to be covered thereby,

it will be appreciated that when the extended lapped with respect to the opposite ends of the shielded surface, a snug embracing-like engagement of the shieldwith' said surface or shielded element will beeffected, and because ofxthis, the

.1 will be. retained in their flexed or adjusted .po- --sitions. 'the stay strips 6 aremade: is such that said strips will not. only remain in their flexed or shielded element in a manner to prevent undue relative shifting movement thereof.

In event that the length of a seat supplied with the improved shield is less than the length of the sections 1 and 2, and consequently, less than the length of the kick-apron 3, it will be understood that the length of said kick-apron may be suitably adjusted by folding over the excess opposite end portions thereof in the fashion as is illustrated in the Figure 1; the pliable stay strips 6 with which said apronis equipped, effectually serving to retain the folded over excess portions in fixed folding position and hence, permitting the length of the kickapron to be satisfactorily and permanently ad'- justed whereby the same will properly cover the exposed or forward edge portion of the seat II].

It is desirable that the back section 2 shall be provided with a means which will permitof positive connection or securing thereof in position with respect to the back H and to accomplish this, I may and preferably do provide the outer or normally upper side ofsaid section 2 with-a fabric flap l2 of a width sufficient to permit of its overlapping or embracing-like engagement with and about the adjacent marginal portion of said back H, as is shown in the Figure 1. The opposite end portions of this securing flap 12 are hemmed, as at I3, and within these hemmed portions, pliable metal stay strips Hi are arranged. Thus, when the securing flap -!2 is embracingly engaged over the adjacent marginal portion of the back H, the pliable stay strips it are bent upon themselves whereby they too, effect a snug embracing engagement with said adjacent portions of the back H, and in so doing, it is obvious that the securing flap I2 will be positively retained in engagement with the back I I, and thus, will insure a positive yet disengageable connection of the section 2 to said back.

As hereinbefore stated, the application of the herein described invention, is preferably effected in connection with shields or so-called seat pads made of straw matting, though it will be understood and appreciated by workers skilled in the art that the range of adaption of the invention is by no means confined or limited, in that devious utilized, or if desired, combinations of such mate rials may be employed, as for example, seat shields or seat pads made of combinations of fabric and straw matting and the like.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that through the medium of my invention, I am enabled to produce a seat shield or seat pad which is more or less universal in its range of usage, especially, because of the fact that where the length of the shield is greater than the length of the seat or other surface to be covered thereby, said'shield may be readily and conveniently adjusted upon itself to conform to the length of the receiving device, and in so doing, it will effect a smooth, even and satisfactory positioning with respect to such receiving device.

Manifestly, the constructions shown are capable of considerable modification, and such modification as is Within the scope: of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention. I

I claim:

1. A seat pad comprising a flexible sheet-like body, pliable metal strips secured to the opposed sides of said body adjacent one of its faces, the outer ends of the respective metal strips being relatively inwardly disposed toward each other and arranged in juxtaposed relation to those portions of said face of the body adjacent its opposite ends and secured thereto, the free ends of the inwardly disposed portions of the metal strips being in relatively spaced relation whereby to permit of free flexing of'that portion of said body intermediately of the same.

2. A seat pad comprising a flexible sheet-like body, pliable metal strips secured to the opposed longitudinal sides of said body adjacent one of its faces, the outer ends of the respective metal strips being inwardly curved and disposed toward each other and extended for comparatively short distances alongthe opposite end portions of the body, terminating upon said end portions of the body to effect their arrangement in relatively transversely spaced relationship, that portion of the flexible sheet-like body between the relatively spaced inwardly curved ends of the metal strips being capable of free flexing movement.

, EDWARD WITTCOFF. 

